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and Significance 

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Book 145 . 



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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT! 



"Our flag carries American ideas, American 
history, and American feelings. It is not a 
painted rag. It is a whole national history. 
It is the constitution. It is the government. 
It is the free people that stand in the govern- 
ment on the constitution. Forget not what it 
means ; and for the sake of its ideas, be true 
to your country's flag." — Henry Ward Beecher. 



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The History and Significance 



OF THE 



American Flag 



BY 

EMILY KATHARINE IDE 

It 



Revised 

E. K, IDE 

65 Rutland Street 
Boston, Mass. 



h/7 



Copyright, 1917 

By 

EMILY KATHARINE IDE 



/ 



JUN 18 1317 



UNTIN'GTOX ART PRESS 
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. 



©CI.A462997 



Jo 



PREFACE 



The object of revising "The History and Significance of 
the American Flag" is for the purpose of adding a few in- 
teresting flag narratives and also more tributes, flag quo 
tations, etc., etc. 

The aim of this book is to tell the story of the Ameri- 
can flag in a simple, concise manner for young and old. It 
is written at a time " when the flag of the United States has 
a deeper significance than ever before in the world's history, 
when it is the hope of civilization." 

The origin, development, history and significance of it 
are set forth in this book. Among the hundreds of vol- 
umes that have been searched for many of the facts, and to 
which due credit must be given, are "The Army and Navy 
of the United States from the period of the Revolution to 
1896 by William Walton, (with the official approval of the 
War, Navy, and State Departments) : copies of Journals of 
the Continental Congress from 1774-1789; copies of Offi- 
cial Letters of George Washington to the Honorable Ameri- 
can Congress during the Revolutionary War; copies of 
Public Documents of the early Congress 1789-1793 ; Cor- 
respondence of the American Revolution by Sparks ; copies 
of Revolutionary Orders of Washington issued during the 
years 1778, '80, '81, '82; Regimental Colors in the War of 
the Revolution, by Gherardi Davis, Life of Paul Jones, by 
Mackenzie; Siege of Boston by Frothingham; copy of Wash- 
ington's Diary; American Archives; Correspondence with 
Paul Jones, by Sands : Histories of the Flag by Hamilton, 

(7) 



8 Preface 

Preble, Horner, Harrison, Canby, and others; Army and 
Navy Regulations ; Hulme's Flags of the World ; Histories 
of the United States by Lossing, Avery, and Bancroft. 
Reprint of Washington's original letters to his secretary 
Joseph Reed. Lossing's Pictorial Field book of the Revolu- 
tion, etc., etc. 

That the research work in connection with the subject 
of our flag presents serious difficulties is an acknowledged 
fact by all who have undertaken it and it is to be regretted 
that the archives of our national government are so widely 
scattered and so inaccessible that they can now be of little 
assistance in investigating this subject. 

Conjecture has too often been substituted for facts; it 
is conceded, however, by the best authorities that Admiral 
George Preble has set forth most of the known facts, nearly 
all of which have been traced to their source and verified. 

The author takes much pleasure in acknowledging her 
gratitude to those government officials who have kindly 
assisted her, and also to Mr. Wilfred A. Wetherbee, Past 
Commander, Massachusetts Department G. A. R. and Mr. 
Myron Prichard, Principal of the Everett school, and one 
of the most intelligent writers and critics. 



CONTENTS 

Origin 13 

Development 14 

The First Banners Planted upon the Shores of the New World 14 

The Crosses of Saint George and Saint Andrew 17 

The King's Colors 17 

The Meteor Flag 17 

Flags of other Nations on our Shores 18 

Early Colonial Flags 21 

The Bedford Flag that waved at Concord April 19, 1775 22 

The Grand Union Flag 23 

History 24 

The Betsey Ross Flag 24 

First Use in Battle of the Stars and Stripes 25 

The Flag of Fifteen Stars 26 

The Flags of Twenty Stars and Forty-Eight Stars 26 

Significance 27 

Miscellaneous Flag Facts 33 

The Seven Victorious Wars in which the Flag has been Displayed.... 33 

First Carried Officially by the Army 33 

First Carried Officially, by troops in battle 33 

Where and When First Displayed 34 

Dates of Admission of the States to the Union 35 

Definitions of Parts of Flag 36 

Origin of the name Jacque, in Connection with the English Flag 36 

Dimensions of the National Flag 36 

The Garrison and Standard Flags, when used 36 

Famous Flags 40 

Flag Narratives 47 

Patriotic Flag Quotations 52 

Flag Tributes, in Prose 56 

Flag Tributes, in Poetry 67 

Life of Rev. S. F. Smith, D.D 77 

America 77 

Life of Francis Scott Key 79 

"The Star-Spangled Banner" 80 

Etiquette of the Flag 82 

Concerning Flags 89 

Flag Day Exercises 91 

(9) 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Flag of 1912, colored plate Frontispiece 

Early Flags of America. Plate 1 15 

Bedford Flag used at Concord, 1775 22 

Grand Union Flag, 1776. Plate II 29 

Betsy Ross Flag, 1777. Plate III 30 

Flag of Fifteen Stars and Fifteen Stripes, 1795. Plate IV 31 

Flag of Twenty Stars and Thirteen Stripes, 1818. Plate V 32 

The Famous Star Spangled Banner 45 



(ID 



The American Flag 



ORIGIN 



From the most distant eras, symbols and colors ena- 
bling nations to distinguish themselves from each other, 
have exercised a powerful influence over mankind. One of 
the earliest military ensigns was a colored banner and 
when tribes and nations increased in number these banners 
became parti-colored by stripes and other linear divisions. 
Then the devices of the several chieftains appeared inscribed 
upon them. Thus these symbols which seemed in times of 
peace but trivial ornaments, disturbed the world in political 
or religious uprisings. History has failed perhaps to realize 
that these symbols have often led armies on to victory with 
more certainty than tactics. 

The Stars and Stripes is the symbol of the National 
flag of the United States. The official origin is unknown 
It has often been suggested that it originated in Washing- 
ton's coat-of-arms, also that the idea of the stripes was 
taken from the standard of the Philadelphia Troop of Light 
Horse or Markoe banner which was composed of thirteen, 
alternate blue and silver ones and was the first known in- 
stance of the American use of stripes. 

Whatever the origin of our flag may have been the 
sentiment is appropriately expressed in the following quo- 
tation credited by many historians to Washington, "We 
take the star from Heaven, the red from our Mother 
Country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing 
that we have separated from her, and the white stripes 
shall go down to posterity representing Liberty." 

(13) 



14 The American Flag 

DEVELOPMENT 

The first banners planted upon the shores of the New 
World, of which there is any account, were those displayed 
by Columbus in 1492, when he landed upon the Island of 
San Salvador. They are thus described by his son, — 
"Columbus, dressed in scarlet, stepped on shore from the 
little boat which bore him from his vessels, bearing the 
royal standard of Spain emblazoned with the arms of Cas- 
tile and Leon., in his own hand, followed by the Pinzons in 
their own boats, each bearing the banner of the expedition, 
viz r a white flag with a green cross, having on each side 
the letters F and Y surmounted by golden crowns." The 
latter was the personal banner of Columbus. The "royal 
standard " was composed of four sections, two with yellow 
castles upon red and two with red rampant lions upon 
white ground. 

When Columbus in 1498 reached the Continent he 
planted the Spanish banners at the mouth of the Oronoco. 
In 1497 John Cabot, a Venetian, unfurled in North America, 
probably at Labrador, the first English flag. Cabot and 
his three sons sailed from Bristol with letters patent from 
Henry VII of England, "to set up the royal banners and 
ensigns in the countries, places, or mainland newly found 
by them, and to conquer, occupy and possess them, as his 
vassals and Lieutenants. " Lorenzo Pasqualigo, under date 
" London 23 August 1497 " writes to his brothers in Venice 
that "Cabot planted in his new found land a large cross 
with a flag of England and another of St. Mark, by reason 
of his being a Venetian, so that our banner has floated very 
far afield." The royal ensign of Henry VII used by Cabot 
was the cross of St. George, which is a white flag with a 




St. Andrew's Cross 




The Meteor or Union Flag 



PLATE I 



The American Flag 17 

rectangular red cross extending its entire length and 
breadth. 

Upon the Accession in 1603, of James I, formerly James 
VI of Scotland, England and Scotland were united, and in 
1606, King James I united the red cross of St. George with 
the diagonal white cross of St. Andrew on a blue field. 
This was called the " KING'S COLORS." It was required 
to be displayed from the maintops of all British vessels. 
Those, however, of South Britain, (England) were to carry 
the Cross of St. George, and those of North Britain (Scot- 
land) the St. Andrews Cross at their foretops, in order to 
designate which part of the United Kingdom they came 
from. Most historians agree that the Cross of St. George 
was flown from the Mayflower in 1620, that being the 
common sea ensign of English ships at that period. She 
may also have displayed the " KING'S COLORS" as re- 
quired by the Proclamation of 1606. (See plate I). 

After the beheading of King Charles I in 1649, England 
and Scotland separated, and the Cross of St. George, in 
1651, again became the national standard of England and 
continued to be the leading ensign in the American colonies 
until 1707 when, under the reign of Queen Anne, the King- 
dom of Great Britain, by the union of England, Scotland 
and Wales, was established, and Great Britain then adopted 
for herself and her colonies a crimson banner with the 
crosses of St. George and St. Andrews conjoined in the up- 
per left corner or canton, (of blue). This was known as 
the "METEOR FLAG" of England, also a Union flag, as 
it represented the union of England and Scotland. (See 
plate I). It was used by the American Colonies in con- 
nection with other devices until their rupture with Great 
Britain. The present ensign of Great Britain was never 



18 The American Flag 

used by the American Colonies as it was not formed until 
1801. 

Flags of other nations have visited our shores. May 
10, 1534, Jacques Cartier brought the colors of France to 
this country, and in 1535, upon a second voyage, he set 
up a cross and the arms of France near the present city of 
Quebec. The flag of the French at that time was probably 
blue, with three golden fleur de lis. Later, the flag of the 
Huguenot Party in France was white. It is most probable 
that the Bourbon Flag was used during the greater part 
of the occupancy of the French in the region extending 
southwest from the St. Lawrence to the Mississippi, known 
as New France. 

In 1609, Henry Hudson brought the ship " Half Moon" 
into New York harbor, displaying the flag of the Dutch 
East India Co. which was that of the Dutch Republic — 
three equal horizontal stripes, orange, white and blue, with 
the letters V. O. C. A. (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, 
Amsterdam,) meaning, United East-Indian Company, Ams- 
terdam, in the centre of the white stripe. When the Dutch 
West India Co. came into control in 1621, the letters 
G. W. C. (Geoctrogeerde West-Indische Compagnie,) mean- 
ing Chartered West-Indian Company, were substituted, 
with the change later of the orange stripe to a red one. 
The Dutch flag was in use until 1664 when it was suc- 
ceeded by the English flag, save for the temporary Dutch 
resumption 1673-74. 

In 1638 some Finnish and Swedish colonists settled on 
the banks of the Delaware River and called it New Sweden, 
under the Swedish national flag, a yellow cross on a blue 
ground. In 1655, this settlement was overpowered by the 
Dutch. 



The American Flag 19 

The thirteen original colonies were composed mostly of 
the English and their flags took the form of the English 
national standard in its successive periods. 

The Cross of St. George, according to the records was 
used in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634, if not be- 
fore. Mention is also made that in that year complaint 
was made "that the ensign at Salem had been defaced by 
Mr. Endicott cutting out one part of the red cross.' ' Roger 
Williams was the cause of the agitation. "The case was 
construed into one of rebellion to England on the complaint 
of Mr. Richard Brown, ruling elder of the church at Water- 
town, before the Court of Assistance. The Court issued an 
attachment against Ensign Richard Davenport, then the 
ensign bearer of Salem, whose colors had been mutilated, 
to appear at the next Court which was not held until a 
year after his flag was so mutilated. It was then shown 
that the mutilation was done, not from disloyalty to the 
flag, but from a conscientious conviction that it was idol- 
atrous to allow it to remain." Endicott was found guilty 
of a great offence, having committed "by his soul authority 
an act giving occasion to the Court of England to think 
ill of them." For this indescretion, he was not allowed to 
hold any public office for one year. 

Two months later the provincial authorities again dis- 
cussed the lawful use of the cross in the ensign and opinions 
on the subject being divided, the matter was deferred until 
another meeting in March when Mr. Endicott's opinion was 
asked. At this meeting, no better decision could be arrived 
at, and the subject was referred to the next General Court, 
orders being given by the Commissioners for Military Af- 
fairs that in the meantime all ensigns should be laid aside. 

In the interim, letters were sent to England reporting 



20 The American Flag 

these discussions, and suggesting another ensign. This was 
disapproved of, and resulted, December 1635, in the Mili- 
tary Commissioners appointing' 'colors for every company, " 
leaving out the cross in all, and requesting that the King's 
Arms should be put into them, and in the colors of Castle 
Island. 

It was customary for all ships in passing the fort at 
Castle Island in Boston Harbor, to observe certain regu- 
lations. After these occurrences, much misunderstanding 
and dissension arose, however, between the authorities and 
captains of ships from England, and the former, fearing re- 
ports might be carried to the Mother Country that they 
had rebelled, asked advice of the captains of the ten remain- 
ing ships then in the harbor. They recommended the use 
in the fort at Castle Island, of the " KING'S COLORS" and 
it was finally concluded by the authorities that although 
they were of the decided opinion that the cross in the en- 
sign was idolatrous and, consequently out of place, con- 
sidering the fort was the King's and defended in his name, 
his colors might be used there, but the flag bearing the 
King's Arms continued in use elsewhere in the colony until 
the Commonwealth of England was established. 

In 1643 the Colonies of Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, 
Connecticut and New Haven formed the Confederacy and 
were styled The United Colonies of New England. No men- 
tion, however, is made of the use of any common flag until 
1686 when Governor Andros received one from the King 
which was the Cross of St. George with a Gilt Crown em- 
blazoned on the centre of the cross, with the monogram of 
King James II underneath. 

In 1707 the colonists evinced a growing feeling of in- 
dependence and began to depart from the authorized 



The American Flag 21 



£> 



English standards. There is mention in 1704 of the Pine 
Tree Flag used in New England. It is described in one 
form as a red flag with a white canton quartered with the 
red Cross of St. George having a green pine tree in the 
upper left quarter. Occasionally the fly was blue. Another 
form of the Pine Tree Flag, and the one officially adopted 
by the Massachusetts Council in 1776, is represented as 
having a white field with the Pine Tree in the centre, and 
above it the words, "An Appeal to Heaven." 

During the Colonial and early Revolutionary days, the 
Rattlesnake Flag, in various devices, rivaled in popularity 
the Pine Tree Flag. One form was of red and blue stripes 
with the snake stretching diagonally across it, and the 
motto, either at the top or bottom, "Don't tread on me." 
South Carolina adopted the form of the yellow flag with 
the snake coiled in the middle about to strike, and the 
motto underneath "Don't tread on me." 

At Taunton, Mass., in 1774, two years before the 
Declaration of Independence, a Union Flag was unfurled, 
on which was the inscription "Liberty and Union." As 
this was the regular English Union Flag of 1707, it signi- 
fied that there was no thought at that time of separation 
from the Mother Country, but simply for Liberty of Action. 

According to Col. William Moultrie the earliest flag 
displayed in the South was in 1775. It was blue with a 
white crescent in the upper left corner. In 1776, the word 
"Liberty" in white letters was emblazoned upon it. The 
flag of Rhode Island was -white, having a blue anchor with 
the word "Hope" above it, and a blue canton with 13 
white stars. New York's flag was a white flag with a 
black beaver in the centre. Connecticut troops carried dif- 
ferent banners of solid colors, having on one side the motto 



22 



The American Flag 



of Connecticut "Qui transulit sustinet," meaning "He who 
transplanted us hither will support us," and on the other, 
the recognized motto of Massachusetts "An Appeal to 
Heaven." 

The flag which is considered by many to far exceed all 
others in historic value, in fact, "the most precious me- 
morial of its kind of which we have 
any knowledge," is the one that 
waved over the "embattled farmers" 
at Concord, April 19, 1775. This 
ancient standard can be seen toda}- 
in the Public Library of Bedford, 
Massachusetts, where it is encased 
between two glass plates and se- 
cured in the fire-proof town vault. 
The ground is maroon color satin 
damask, emblazoned with an out- 
stretched arm, silver colored, the 
hand of which grasps an uplifted sword. Three circular fig- 
ures, also silver colored, are supposed to represent cannon 
balls. Upon a gold colored scroll, is the motto, " Vince aut 
Moriture," meaning "Conquer or Die." The size of this 
flag is about one foot and six inches by two feet. The 
origin of the flag is not known. Many historians think 
that it was made in England in 1660-70 and give the best 
of reasons for believing so, but it is not accurate history. 




Concord, Apkil 19, 1775 



The American Flag 23 

THE GRAND UNION FLAG 

The Grand Union flag raised at Cambridge was the first 
to represent the thirteen united colonies. It was composed 
of thirteen alternate red and white stripes and the crosses of 
St. George and St. Andrew conjoined in a blue canton. In 
1775 the Colonial Congress appointed Messrs. Franklin, 
Lynch and Harrison a committee to confer with Gen. George 
Washington, then in camp at Cambridge, Mass., for the pur- 
pose of organizing and maintaining an army. As the Grand 
Union flag was hoisted over Gen. George Washington's head- 
quarters at Cambridge, shortly after the return to Phila- 
delphia, of this committee, it has been assumed, by many 
historians, that they designed it and concluded that it must 
represent our loyalty to Great Britian, and our united suit 
and demand for our rights as British subjects. The flag 
was flung to the breeze with appropriate ceremonies by 
Gen. George Washington, Jan. 1 or 2, 1776, in the presence 
of his army, and the citizens. (See plate II). 

The British officers from Charlestown Heights, watched 
the proceedings through their field glasses and seeing that 
the canton of the flag represented the Union Flag of Eng- 
land they immediately concluded that Washington was an- 
nouncing his surrender and the flag was greeted with 
thirteen cheers and thirteen gun salutes. This act was 
really its official recognition, although unintentional. 

The design of this Continental flag was not original. 
It was a familiar sight to the colonists as early as 1704 
to see ships of the English East India Co. displaying flags 
with thirteen red and white stripes, with the Cross of St. 
George in the Canton. In the early part of the Revolution, 



24 The American Flag 

American vessels displayed a flag composed of thirteen hori- 
zontal alternate red and white stripes alone, which was an 
exact copy of a signal used in the British fleet. (See plate II). 

HISTORY 

June 14, 1777 is the date that marks the beginning of 
the authentic history of our flag and when the American 
Congress adopted the following resolution: — 

"Resolved — that the flag of the thirteen united 
states be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, 
that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue 
field, representing a new constellation." 

John Adams is credited with being the one who stood 
up in the Continental Congress that memorable day and 
called for the adoption of this Resolution, but there is no 
record of it — all we can judge is that the American Con- 
gress considered deficient the flag which Washington raised 
at Cambridge, in 1776. The Declaration of Independence 
had been made and a flag to harmonize with the growing 
spirit in America was now needed. The story runs, though 
not accurate history, that at this time a committee of Con- 
gress, consisting of George Washington, Robert Morris and 
Colonel George Ross, in May or June, 1776, called upon 
Mrs. Betsy Ross, a widow, at her upholstery shop, 239 
Arch St., Philadelphia, and inquired if she could make a 
flag. She replied that she would try. Accordingly a design 
was presented to her of thirteen stripes and thirteen stars — 
the latter were six-pointed, and as a five-pointed one was 
easier to make, which Mrs. Ross demonstrated by folding 
a piece of paper and cutting out with one clip of her scissors, 
it was suggested that this be used instead. This account 
comes from Mr. Wm. Canby, grandson of Mrs. Ross, who 



The American Flag 25 

in 1870 read a paper before the Historical Society of Penn- 
sylvania, giving the details of the flagmaking as told by 
his grandmother. The story has been assailed, owing to 
the fact that the design of the flag was not promulgated 
until September 3, 1777. (See plate III). 

The design of this first flag represented the stars in a 
circle, and Washington has been credited with saying that 
this arrangement was to represent equality of the states. 
It was afterwards changed, however, to three horizontal 
lines of four, five and four stars. The evidence is quite con- 
clusive, in spite of others claiming the honor, that the first 
displaying of the flag in battle occurred in New York, on 
the site of the present city of Rome, when the British and 
Indian forces began the siege of Fort Schuyler, formerly 
Fort Stanwix. The garrison was composed of about 500 
men under command of Colonel Peter Ganesvoort, Jr. He 
was reinforced by about 200 men of the Ninth Massachu- 
setts Regiment led by Lieut. Col. Mellon, who brought the 
news of the recently enacted flag statute. As the garrison 
was without a flag, the making of one was soon deter- 
mined upon by the cutting up of a soldier's white shirt, a 
red petticoat, and a piece of blue cloth from the cloak of 
Captain Abraham Swartwout. The flag was made in a 
hurry, but it was regular and complete. The Congressional 
Resolution ordaining the Flag of the Republic, was read 
by the Adjutant and it was raised on August 3, 1777. 

Thirteen stars and stripes continued until 1795 to be our 
national emblem. January 13, 1794, Vermont and Ken- 
tucky having been admitted to the Union, and Congress 
not foreseeing the growth of the flag in adding both a star 
and a stripe for each new state, passed the following Act 
which was approved by President Washington: — 



26 The American Flag 

11 That, from and after the first day of May, one 
thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, the flag 
of the United States be fifteen stripes, alternate 
red and white, and that the Union be fifteen stars, 
white in a blue field." 

This was our national emblem for twenty-three years. 
(See plate IV). It was carried during the War of 1812 
and was the flag that waved over Fort McHenry when 
Francis Scott Key was inspired to write "The Star 
Spangled Banner.' ' In 1817, after the accession of a num- 
ber of new States, it was seen that it would not be prac- 
ticable to continue adding a new stripe for each new State, 
therefore, Hon. Peter Wend over, a member of Congress 
serving from 1815 to 1821, offered a resolution in the House 
of Representatives, calling for a select Committee to inquire 
into the expediency of altering the flag of the United States 
so that it would truly represent the Union. Accordingly, in 
1818, Congress passed an Act which settled the general 
form of our flag. The Act was as follows : — 

"An Act to establish the flag of the United States. 

Sec. 1. That from and after the 4th of July 
next, the flag of the United States be thirteen hori- 
zontal stripes, alternate red and white — that the 
Union have twenty stars, white in a blue field. 

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, that on the 
admission of every new State into the Union, one 
star be added to the Union of the flag, and that 
such addition shall take effect on the 4th of July 
next succeeding such admission." 

Credit must be given to Mr. Wend over for the pressing 
of the bill in the House, but it was Captain Samuel C. 
Reid of the United States Navy who suggested reducing the 
stripes to thirteen, representing the original states of the 
Union, and the adding of a star for each new state. Cap- 



The American Flag 27 

tain Reid also suggested that these stars be arranged to 
form one large star in the centre of the Union. This flag, 
the first of the kind, was made in New York City by Mrs. 
S. C. Reid, under the direction of her husband, the designer. 
The design, however, of the one great star in the centre of 
the blue field, did not meet with general favor, and they 
were afterwards placed in rows. As Congress did not 
designate the form of placing the stars in the Union, the 
War and Navy Departments of the United States Govern- 
ment, in 1912, agreed they should be placed in parallel 
lines . ( See plate V ) . 

SIGNIFICANCE 



The American Flag represents a glorious Land of 
Liberty and Union, the dear purchase of generations past. 
It represents a government " of the people, by the people 
and for the people" who enjoy justice, freedom and equality 
of rights. Our flag means Americanism and that no anti- 
Americanism can exist under its folds. It stands for civili- 
zation, for our past heroism, our present power and pros- 
perity, and for future achievements and progress. The Stars 
and Stripes represents a great republic which was ordained 
by God, who sent to us such noble men as Christopher Col- 
umbus and George Washington that we might make of a 
great land a great nation. We are reaping the harvest 
sowed by self-denial, hardship, and the manifold sufferings of 
our forefathers. We are enjoying a prosperity unparalleled in 
the history of the world. Our labor and industry have been 
a source of wealth but we must understand that we can not 
worship a material God and that if accumulation of money 
is man's chief aim then wealth becomes a source of luxury 
and extravagance that begets recklessness, idleness and vice. 
Let us not forget that in order to insure continued inde- 



28 The American Flag 

pendence and prosperity, we must maintain honor; this 
means the conscientious exercising of all duties, by those 
officials elected by the people to guard our rights and in- 
terests. We must insist on honor in our legislative chambers ; 
inflexibility in our courts of law; truth in our public press; 
the regulation of the interests existing between capital and 
labor, and a sense of stewardship on the part of the rich. 
The flag of our great republic calls for these high ideals, 
and towards the maintenance of these principles every 
patriotic American has much to do. Let us bear in mind 
the quotation "that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," 
and that only by intelligence, sacrifice, progression and pre- 
paredness, can we perpetuate the power of the Stars and 
Stripes. 

From the bosom of the future posterity calls out to us, 
and generations to come hold us responsible for the sacred 
trust of this great republic, and the honor of the flag that 
now protects one hundred million people. When the Stars 
and Stripes floats above our heads we feel its living presence 
in our hearts and that inspiration which has always led us 
on to victory and glory. Beneath the illumination of its 
stars let us walk our course of life giving thanks not only 
to God almighty for this privilege but to those martyrs who 
died that we might enjoy liberty. Flag of our great republic 
may you forever wave over "The holy Temple of American 
Liberty!" 




The Grand Union Flag, 1776 



PLATE II 




Betsy Ross Flag — Adopted June 14, 1777 
Thirteen Stars and Thirteen Stripes 



PLATE III 




Adopted May 1, 1795 
Fifteen Stars and Fifteen Stripes 



PLATE IV 




Adopted July 4, 1818 
Twenty Stars and Thirteen Stripes 



PLATE V 



Flag Facts 



MISCELLANEOUS 

From 1777 to 1795, it was composed of thirteen stars 
and thirteen stripes; from 1795 to 1818, of fifteen stars 
and fifteen stripes; from 1818 to 1917, of a star for every 
state (48) and thirteen stripes: 

It has flown triumphant in war or conflicts seven times : 
I. With Great Britain (1775-1783), thirteen stars 
and thirteen stripes. 

II. With France (1798-1800), fifteen stars and fifteen 
stripes. 

III. With Tripoli (1801-1805), fifteen stars and fifteen 
stripes. 

IV. With Great Britain (1812-1815), fifteen stars and 
fifteen stripes. 

Y. With Mexico (1846-1848), twenty-nine stars and 
thirteen stripes. 

VI. With the Confederate States (1861-1865), thirty- 
five stars and thirteen stripes. 

VII. With Spain (1898), forty-five stars and thirteen 
stripes. 

According to the War Department regulations the Army 
did not carry (officially) the Stars and Stripes until 1834; 
though there is record of its use as a garrison flag from 
about 1787 or '98 to 1834. It appears that the Army 
did not carry (officially), in battle, the Stars and Stripes 
until the period of the Mexican war, 1846-'48. Before this, 
bodies of troops carried what was known as national colors 
or standards, of blue, with the coat of arms of the United 

(33) 



34 The American Flag 

States emblazoned thereon and with the designation of the 
body of troops inscribed on a scroll. 

Paul Jones claimed to have hoisted, July 4, 1777, the 
first Stars and Stripes (on the American man-of-war, Alfred). 

It was first displayed in battle, at Fort Schuyler, N. Y., 
, August 3, 1777 

It was first seen in a foreign country aboard the Ranger, 
Captain Paul Jones, at Quiberon Bay, France, where it re- 
ceived the salute of that government.... February 14, 1778 

To Paul Jones was assigned the duty of displaying it 
for the first time aboard the " America," the first ship of 
the fine built for the United States 1782 

First displayed in a British Port on board the Bedford, 

of Massachusetts, which arrived in the Downs 

February 3, 1783 

First displayed in the Chinese Sea aboard the Empress 
of China, Captain John Green 1784 

First trip around the world in the ship Columbia. .1787-90 

First displayed in Siam aboard the Peggie 1789 

The first vessel to sail the waters of Lake Erie under the 

Stars and Stripes was a schooner from Erie, Pennsylvania 

1797 

First carried from an American port to Japan on board 
the ship Franklin, Captain James Devereau, of Salem, 
Massachusetts 1799 

Carried farthest south in the schooner Flying Fish, Lieut. 
W. M. Walker, U. S. N. (Wilkes U. S. exploring expedition), 
lat. 70°-14' S.— Ion. 100° W March 24, 1839 

Carried to the heart of Africa by Stanley.. IS 71 and later. 

Carried farthest north by Lieut. Peary, U. S. N. lat. 83° 
-30' N.— Ion. 39 W 1891-98 

The " Pledge of Allegiance " was given, under the leader- 



The American Flag 



35 



ship of "The Youth's Companion," by more than 12,000,000 
Public School Pupils during the "National Public School 
Celebration" of October 21, 1892. This salute has since 
been adopted by thousands of schools. 

Before 1866 all American flags were made of English 
bunting. 

A new star is added to the flag on the Fourth of July 
following the admission of a state. 

Dates of Admission of the States to our Union 



1. 


Delaware 


Dec. 7, 1787 


25. 


Arkansas 


June 15, 1836 


2. 


Pennsylvania 


Dec. 12, 1787 


26. 


Michigan 


Jan. 26, 1837 


3. 


New Jersey 


Dec. 18, 1787 


27. 


Florida 


Mar. 3, 1845 


4. 


Georgia 


Jan. 2, 1788 


28. 


Texas 


Dec. 29, 1845 


5. 


Connecticut 


Jan. 9, 1788 


29. 


Iowa 


Dec. 28, 1846 


6. 


Massachusetts 


Feb. 6, 1788 


30. 


Wisconsin 


May 29, 1848 


7. 


Maryland 


Apr. 28, 1788 


31. 


California 


Sept. 9, 1850 


8. 


South Carolina May 23, 1788 


32. 


Minnesota 


May 11, 1858 


9. 


New Hampshire June 21, 1788 


33. 


Oregon 


Feb. 14, 1859 


10. 


Virginia 


June 26, 1788 


34. 


Kansas 


Jan. 29, 1861 


11. 


New York 


July 26, 1788 


35. 


West Virginia 


June 19, 1863 


12. 


North Carolina Nov. 21, 1789 


36. 


Nevada 


Oct. 31, 1864 


13. 


Rhode Island 


May 29, 1790 


37. 


Nebraska 


Mar. 1, 1867 


14. 


Vermont 


Mar. 4, 1791 


38. 


Colorado 


Aug. 1,1876 


15. 


Kentucky 


June 1, 1792 


39. 


North Dakota 


Nov. 2, 1889 


16. 


Tennessee 


June 1, 1796 


40. 


South Dakota 


Nov. 2,1889 


17. 


Ohio 


Nov. 29, 1802 


41. 


Montana 


Nov. 8, 1889 


18. 


Louisiana 


Apr. 30, 1812 


42. 


Washington 


Nov. 11, 1889 


19. 


Indiana 


Dec. 11, 1816 


43. 


Idaho 


July 3, 1890 


20. 


Mississippi 


Dec. 10, 1817 


44. 


Wyoming 


July 10, 1890 


21. 


Illinois 


Dec. 3, 1818 


45. 


Utah 


Jan. 4, 1896 


22. 


Alabama 


Dec. 14, 1819 


46. 


Oklahoma 


Nov. 16, 1907 


23. 


Maine 


Mar. 15, 1820 


47. 


New Mexico 


Jan. 6, 1912 


24. 


Missouri 


Aug. 10,1821 


48. 


Arizona 


Feb. 14, 1912 



36 The American Flag 

DEFINITIONS OF PARTS OF FLAG 

The hoist is the width of flag, next to the staff (pole or 
"pike"). 

The fly is the length of flag. 

The canton (Latin canton, "corner"), is the upper cor- 
ner next to the staff. 

The union is the device placed in the canton to repre- 
sent political union. 

The union jack, or "Jack," represents both the device 
and canton. 

For what reason or when the name jacque was first 
given to the flag of England is purely conjectral some 
writers state that when the crosses of St. George and St. 
Andrew were conjoined by the order of James I, whose 
name in French is Jacques, it was called Jacque's flag. It 
most probably originated from jacque, a sur coat, charged 
with a red cross and anciently worn by the English soldiers. 

DIMENSIONS OF NATIONAL FLAG 

The following Executive Order is published to the Army 
for the information and guidance of all concerned : 

EXECUTIVE ORDER 

The Executive Order of October 29, 1912, is hereby revoked, and for 
it is substituted the following: 

Whereas, "An Act to Establish the Flag of the United States," ap- 
proved on the 4th of April, 1818, reading as follows: 

"Section 1. Be it enacted, etc., That from and after the fourth day 
of July next, the flag of the United States be thirteen horizontal stripes, 
alternate red and white; that the union be twenty stars, white in a blue 
field. 

"Section 2. And be it further enacted, That on the admission of every 
new State into the Union, one star be added to the union of the flag ; and 
that such addition shall take effect on the fourth of July then next suc- 
ceeding such admission." 
fails to establish proportions ; and 



The American Flag 37 

Whereas, investigation shows some sixty-six different sizes of National 
flags, and of varying proportions, in use in the Executive Departments ; 

It is hereby ordered that National Flags and Union Jacks for all De- 
partments of the Government, with the exception noted under (a), shall 
conform to the following proportions: 

Hoist (width) of Flag 1 

Fly (length) of Flag 1.9 

Hoist (width) of Union 7-13 

Fly (length) of Union 76 

Width of each stripe 1-13 

(a) Exception: The colors carried by troops, and camp colors, shall 
be the sizes prescribed for the Military Service (Army and Navy). 

Limitation of the number of sizes: With the exception of colors under 
note (a) , the sizes of flags manufactured or purchased for the Government 
Departments will be limited to those with the following hoists: 

(1) 20 feet 

(2) 19 feet (standard) 

(3) 14.35 feet 

(4)....: 12.19 feet 

(5) 10 feet 

(6) 8.94 feet 

(7) 5.14 feet 

(8) 5 feet 

(9) 3.52 feet 

(10) 2.90 feet 

(11) 2.37 feet 

(12) 1.31 feet 

Union Jacks: The size of the Jack shall be the size of the Union of the 
National Flag with which it is flown. 

Position and Size of Stars: The position and size of each star for the 
Union of the flag shall be as indicated on a plan which will be furnished 
to the Departments by the Navy Department. From this plan can be de- 
termined the location and size of stars for flags of any dimensions. Extra 
blue prints of this plan will be furnished upon application to the Navy 
Department. 

Order effective: All National Flags and Union Jacks now on hand or 
for which contracts have been awarded shall be continued in use until 
unserviceable, but all those manufactured or purchased for Government use 



38 The American Flag 

after the date of this order shall conform strictly to the dimensions and 
proportions herein prescribed. 

President's Flag : The President's flag shall be in accordance with the 
plan accompanying and forming a part of this order. In case sizes are 
needed other than the two sizes shown on the plan, they shall be manu- 
factured in the same proportions as those shown. 

Woodrow Wilson. 
The White House, 

29 May, 1916. 

The national flags hoisted at camps or forts are made 
of bunting of American manufacture. 

They are of the three following sizes: 

THE GARRISON FLAG 

Fly (length) .38 feet. 

Hoist (width) 20 feet. 

Stripes about I8V2 inches in width. 

Union fly (length) about 15 feet. Hoist (width) about 
10% feet. 

It is furnished only to posts designated in orders from 
time to time from the War Department and is hoisted only 
on holidays and important occasions. 

THE POST FLAG 

(Standard) 

Fly (length) 19 feet. 

Hoist (width) 10 feet. 

Stripes about 9^ inches in width. 

Union fly (length) about 7Y2 feet. Hoist (width) about 
5V 2 feet. 

It is furnished to all garrisoned posts and hoisted in 
pleasant weather. 



The American Flag 39 

THE STORM FLAG 

Fly (length) 9 feet 6 inches. 

Hoist (width) 5 feet. 

Stripes about 4%, inches in width. 

Union fly (length) about 45^ inches. Hoist (width) 
about 32 inches. 

It is furnished to all occupied posts for use in stormy 
and windy weather. It is also furnished to national ceme- 
teries. 

NATIONAL COLORS 

(Military Service, Army and Navy) 

Fly (length) 5 feet 6 inches. 

Hoist (width) 4 feet 4 inches. 

Stripes about 4 inches in width. 

Union fly (length) about 30 inches. Hoist (width) 
about 28 inches. 

Pike (staff) 9 feet. (See frontispiece). 

It is made of silk when used in battle, campaigns, or 
occasions of ceremony. It is made of bunting (or other 
suitable material) when used at drills, on marches or on all 
service other than battles, campaigns and occasions of cere- 
mony. (Exception) when used for battalions of Philippine 
Scouts the " service" national colors, made of bunting, is 
used on all occasions. 



amous Flags 



THE 
FLAG OF PHILADELPHIA LIGHT HORSE 

Is made of bright yellow silk and is 40 inches long and 
34 inches broad, with thirteen bine and silver stripes al- 
ternating in the Canton. Over the crest (a horse's head), 
are the letters L H (Light Horse). An American Indian 
and an Angel blowing a golden trumpet support the scroll 
under which appear the words " For these we strive." The 
banner was presented to the troop by its first Captain, 
Abram Markoe. The troop was organized in 1774. When 
Washington left Philadelphia on June 23, 1775 to go to 
Cambridge to assume command of the Colonial Army he 
was escorted to New York by the Troop, and it is believed 
that this banner was carried at that time and to be the 
earliest use of stripes on an American flag. This banner is 
preserved by the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry. 

OLD GLORY 

The first flag believed to have received the name "Old 
Glory" was owned by Captain William Driver who was 
born in Salem, March 17, 1803, and died in Nashville, Ten- 
nessee, March 2, 1886. In 1831, he commanded the brig 
"Charles Doggett" and just before leaving for a voyage to 
the Southern Pacific, he was presented with a large and 

(40) 



The American Flag 41 

beautifully made American flag. As it was raised aloft, he 
christened it "Old Glory." When he moved to Nashville, 
in 1837, he carried his beloved flag with him, and during 
our Civil War, when the Confederates searched his house 
for it, he sewed it up in the coverlet of his bed. In 1862, 
when the Federal troops entered Nashville, Captain Driver 
obtained permission to raise his flag over the State Capitol, 
— the story goes that he unfurled it himself, and with tears 
in his eyes, as it floated on the breeze, remarked, "There 
those Texas Rangers have been hunting for this these six 
months without finding it, and they knew I had it. I have 
always said if I could see it float over that Capitol I should 
have lived long enough. Now 'Old Glory* is up there, Gentle- 
men, and I am ready to die." This banner is preserved in 
the Essex Institute, Salem, Mass. 



FLAG OP THE BON HOMME RICHARD 

There is more than ordinary interest in the most famous 
naval flag of the Revolution which floated over the " Ranger," 
and subsequently went down, battle torn, with the "Bon 
Homme Richard." John Paul Jones, the first of the great 
American sea fighters, was born in Scotland in 1747, and 
settled in Virginia. In 1775, he was made a Lieutenant in 
the Continental Navy. June 14, 1777, the same day that 
Congress passed the resolution in relation to the flag of 
the thirteen stars and stripes, it also "RESOLVED, that 
Paul Jones be appointed to the command of the ' Ranger* " 
and he claimed to have hoisted July 4, the first Stars and 
Stripes that ever flew on an American man-of-war. This 
same flag was transferred by Jones, in 1779, to the vessel 



42 The American Flag 

"Due de Duras," and although it had been condemned, he 
mounted guns and changed her name to the "Bon Homme 
Richard " in honor of Benjamin Franklin. On the evening 
of September 23, Jones encountered, in English waters, the 
British man-of-war, Serapis, which carried fifty guns and, 
notwithstanding his badly equipped vessel, he fought and 
won one of the most brilliant battles in naval annals. 
When the "Richard " was completely riddled, in flames and 
sinking, and J'ones was commanded to surrender, he replied, 
"I have not yet begun to fight' ' and after several hours 
of a fierce and bloody conflict, the Serapis was forced to 
haul down her colors and her crew were made prisoners. 
The " Richard " was abandoned and went down, the flag 
at her masthead. According to Paul Jones, "the very last 
vestige mortal eye ever saw of the 'Bon Homme Richard* 
was the defiant waving of her unconquered and unstricken 
flag as she went down, and as I had given them the good 
old ship for their sepulchre, I now bequeathed to my im- 
mortal dead the flag they had so desperately defended, for 
their winding sheet." 

PULASKI'S BANNER 

Count Pulaski was born in Poland, March 4, 1748. 
At the age of twenty-four, he found himself outlawed with 
his estates confiscated, after having been known as the 
leading Polish military patriot. In 1777, by the advice of 
Benjamin Franklin, he joined the American Army, as a 
volunteer. After the Battle of Brandywine, he was ap- 
pointed a Brigadier in the Continental Army, and given 
the command of the Cavalry. He resigned his command 
in a few months and was authorized by Congress to raise 



The American Flag 43 

and command an independent corps. This was known as 
Pulaski's Legion, and was chiefly raised and fully organ- 
ized in Baltimore in 1778. While Lafayette was wounded 
and in the care of the Moravian Sisters at Bethlehem, Penn- 
sylvania, he was visited by Pulaski, and his presence and 
eventful history made such a deep impression upon the 
Sisters that they made him a beautiful banner of crimson 
silk. It was twenty inches square, and was attached to a 
lance when born on the field. On one side was the letters 
"U. S." and in a circle around them, the words "Unitas 
Virtus Forcior," meaning, " Union Makes Valor Stronger." 
"C" in the last word should be "t. M On the other side, 
surrounding an eye, are the words, "Non Alius Regit," 
meaning "No other Governs." The Sisters sent this with 
their blessing to Pulaski, who received it with grateful ac- 
knowledgements, and bore it gallantly until 1779, when 
he was killed in the conflict in Savannah. His First Lieu- 
tenant rescued the banner and delivered it to Captain 
Bentalon, who carried it to Baltimore where it is preserved 
by the Maryland Historical Society. 



THE EUTAW FLAG 

This flag was carried at the Battle of Cowpens, and 
at that of Eutaw Springs from which it got its name. It 
was a crimson standard known as the " Eutaw" flag, and 
relates a love story of the Revolutionary times. In 1780, 
Col. Wm. Washington, a relative of Gen. George Washing- 
ton, came from Virginia to South Carolina in command of 
a troop of Cavalry. He met Miss Jane Elliot who lived 
near Charleston, and fell in love with her. One day, when 



44 The American Flag 

the Colonel was paying her a visit, she learned that his 
corps had no flag, whereupon Miss Elliot seized her scissors 
and cut a square section from a piece of drapery and asked 
him to use it as his standard. He graciously accepted it 
and bore it upon a hickory pole until the close of the war. 
In 1782, Col. Washington and Miss Elliot were married, 
and in 1827 Mrs. Washington presented the banner to the 
Washington Light Infantry of Charleston. 



THE FLAG OF 
•THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S GUARD 

Frequently called that of Washington's Life Guard, is 
one of the most interesting flags of Revolutionary times. 
It is of white silk, and on it neatly painted, is the device. 
One of the guard who is holding a horse is in the act of re- 
ceiving a flag from the Genius of Liberty, personified as a 
woman leaning upon the Union shield, near which is an 
eagle. " Conquer or die," the motto of the Corps is on a 
ribbon over the device. This Life Guard, a distinct corps 
of mounted men was attached to the person of Washing- 
ton, but never spared in Battle. It was composed of 180 
men, and all the states that supplied the Continental troops, 
were represented in this corps. The uniform of this guard 
was a blue coat with white facings. White waistcoat and 
breeches, blue half-gaiters and a cocked hat with white 
plume. Their flag was preserved in the Museum of Alex- 
andria, Ya., until destroyed by fire. 



The American Flag 



45 




[Reproduced by courtesy of the National Museum 
Washington, D. C] 



THE STAR -SPANGLED BANNER 

The Star - Spangled Banner that waved triumphantly 
over Fort McHenry, September 13 and 14, 1814, and which 
inspired the immortal poem, was ordered made by Brig.- 
Gen. John Strieker. The fort had undergone extensive re- 
pairs and as the garrison flag, then in use in the fort, was 
old and too small the soldiers and sailors of Baltimore de- 
sired a new one. This was made by Mrs. Mary Pickersgill, 
assisted by her daughter and two nieces, at her home in 
Baltimore. The flag was originally about forty feet long 



46 The American Flag 

but this has been diminished by the battle, time and relic 
seekers. Each stripe measures nearly two feet in width, 
and the five pointed stars, two feet from point to point. 
The flag was made in sections, and because of its great 
length, it was found necessary to remove it to the loft of 
a neighboring brewery, in order to set in the canton with 
the stars. The making of the flag was begun about the 
middle of August. A piece of red cotton cloth on the third 
white stripe from the bottom is supposed to represent 
the initial of Major Armistead, commander of the fort. It 
was sewed on so hurriedly, before the flag went into action, 
that the cross bar of the letter was omitted. This flag 
among many others, has recently been put in a state of 
preservation by Mrs. Amelia Fowler of Boston. 



Flag Narratives 



POETRY AN INSPIRATION IN WAR 

Mr. James E. Murdock once remarked that he consid- 
ered "The American Flag' ? by Joseph Rodman Drake, the 
finest lyric the world ever read. Upon one occasion during 
the Civil War he was called upon by some of his comrades 
to give them cheer by " A speech.' ' Mr. Murdock demurred 
having recognized in the assemblage leading statesmen, law- 
yers, and judges. He proceeded however, to recite Drake's 
poetic address to the American flag. At the close of the 
recitation, cheer upon cheer went up, and a sturdy old Irish- 
man stepped out from the crowd and tendered him his hand. 
"Long life to you sir, and to your speech about the Stars 
and Stripes; for if any thing can make them better and 
brighter than they are, it's just the like of such talk as 
yourself makes over 'em. Sure, sir, we'll all work the longer 
and the easier because of such music as that." (See page 73.) 

THE FLAG THAT NEVER TOUCHED 
THE GROUND 

Among the many heroic deeds of the Civil War, was 
that of Sergeant Carney which took place during the at- 
tack on Fort Wagner, July 18th, 1863. The assault, though 
brief, was fearful and furious and took place in a violent 
thunder storm. Sergeant Carney, who was in the first bat- 
talion of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment, of Massachusetts, was 
in the advance of the storming columns. When within about 
one hundred yards of the fort, he received the regimental 
colors, and pressed forward to the front rank, where Col- 
onel Robert Gould Shaw was about to lead the men over 
a ditch. With full ranks they ascended the wall of the fort 

(47) 



48 The American Flag 

but upon reaching the top they were dispersed, by the fir- 
ing of the enemy. Sergeant Carney received a wound in the 
thigh and although forced to rest upon one knee he suc- 
ceeded in planting the Stars and Stripes on the parapet. 
Having accomplished this, he laid down on the outer slope 
for shelter, for over half an hour, to await the arrival of the 
second brigade. During the second attack, in which he was 
wounded in the head, he kept the colors flying until the 
end. When our forces retired, he followed creeping on one 
knee, still holding up the flag and refusing to give up this 
sacred trust until he found an officer of his regiment. When 
he -entered the Field Hospital, though almost exhausted 
from loss of blood, he exclaimed, amidst the cheers from 
his wounded comrades, " Boy's the old flag never touched 
the ground." These colors can be seen today in the Hall 
of Flags, in the State House, Boston. 

THE SOLDIER'S DEVOTION TO THE FLAG 

We do not wonder that the soldiers love the flag. It is to 
them both a history and a prophecy. A Massachusetts sol- 
dier boy, dying on the battlefield, lifted up his eyes to the flag 
and shouted, "All hail, the Stars and Stripes!" Our flag 
is a power everywhere. One has justly said : " It is known, 
respected, and feared round the entire globe. Wherever it 
goes, it is the recognized symbol of intelligence, equality, 
freedom, and Christianity.' ' Wherever it goes the immense 
power of this great Republic goes with it, and the hand that 
touches the honor of the flag, touches the honor of the Re- 
public itself. On Spanish soil, a man entitled to the protection 
of our government was once arrested and condemned to die. 
The American consul interceded for his life, but was told that 
the man must suffer death. 



The American Flag 49 

The hour appointed for the execution came, and Span- 
ish guns, gleaming in the sunlight, were ready for the work 
of death. At that critical moment the American consul 
took our flag, and unfolded its stars and stripes around the 
person of the doomed man, and then turning to the soldiers; 
said : " Men, remember that a single shot through that flag 
will be avenged by the entire power of the American Repub- 
lic." That shot was never fired. And that man, around 
whom the shadows of death were gathering, was saved by 
the Stars and Stripes. Dear old flag! Thou art a power 
at home and abroad. Our fathers loved thee in thine in- 
fancy; our heroic dead loved thee, and we love thee, and 
fondly clasp thee to our hearts. All thy stars gleam like 
gems of beauty on thy brow, and all thy stripes beam upon 
the eye like bows of promise to the nation. 

Wave on, thou peerless, matchless banner of the free! 
Wave on, over the army and the navy, over the land and 
sea, over the cottage and the palace, over the school and the 
church, over the living and the dead; wave ever more, 
"O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave." 

Rev. H. H. Birkins. 



Most thrilling instances of the soldiers devotion to the 
flag have been witnessed. Said a man wounded in the bat- 
tle of Fredericksburg : " Boys I am shot, don't wait for me ; 
just open the folds of the old flag, let me see it once more," 
and while the film of death was on his eye, he caught it in 
his hands, pressed it to his lips, and under the booming of 
cannon and fire of musketry, the noble spirit of Captain 
Perry sought a fairer, purer sky. 

Dr. H. C. Vogell, Raleigh, N. C. 



50 The American Flag 

THE POWER OF THE FLAG 

During the time that the Hon. Joel R. Poinsett of South 
Carolina was the United States Minister to Mexico, he had 
the following thrilling experience: 

When Gomez Pedraza was elected to the presidentship 
of Mexico, it caused much ill feeling among the people who 
soon proceeded to open revolt. Among the barracks, build- 
ings, and batteries that they took possession of and besieged, 
was the convent of St. Augustine, situated in the rear of Mr. 
Poinsett's house. 

During this attack Madam Yturrigaray, widow of the 
former viceroy of Mexico, who lived in the adjoining house, 
became almost frantic with fear, and rushing to Mr. Poin- 
sett's door she implored him to protect her. 

While assuring her of his assistance one of the belligerents 
fired a shot at him which passed through his cloak, and as 
he retired into the house the mob approached and attempted 
to force the doors because of the sheltering there of their 
enemies, among them many European Spaniards. 

After their desperate but unsuccessful efforts to force the 
doors, Mr. Poinsett called upon Mr. Mason, the secretary 
of the American legation, to display the Stars and Stripes. 
As this was done the two gentlemen appeared upon the bal- 
cony and Mr. Poinsett proceeded to inform them who he 
was, what flag waved over his head, and his right to pro- 
tect all who sought refuge under his roof. 

The shouts of the soldiers were hushed and the muzzles of 
their guns, which had been leveled at Mr. Poinsett, were low- 
ered, the latter then seized the opportunity to retire to the 
house to dispatch a note to the commander of the besieging 
army. Mr. Poinsett up on learning from his servant that the 
house was surrounded by so many troops he dared not open 



The American Flag 51 

the doors; he and Mr. Mason resolved to go themselves, ac- 
companied by a native servant. They accordingly ordered 
the Porter to open the door. As they walked forth, the 
astonishment of the besiegers was so great, they immediately 
commenced to retreat and before they had recovered from 
their surprise Mr. Poinsett and Mr. Mason had accomplished 
their errand, returned to the court yard, and the Porter had 
closed the gates. The cavalry commanded by a friend of 
the legation soon arrived on the scene, the gates were 
thrown wide open, the horsemen rode into the yard, and 
sentinels were stationed before the door. Order was soon 
restored and all who had sought refuge under the Stars and 
Stripes remained in perfect safety. 



Patriotic Flag Quotations 

Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that 
it may be displayed because of the Truth. — Bible. 

Our flag is the national ensign, pure and simple, behold 
it! Listen to it! Every star has a tongue, every 
stripe is articulate. — Robert C. Winthrop. 

All who sigh for the triumph of Truth and Righteous- 
ness, love and salute it. — A. P. Putnam. 

There is no name so great that it should be placed up- 
on the flag of our country. — Ulysses S. Grant. 

A star for every state and a state for every star. 

—Robert C. Winthrop. 

If anyone attempts to haul down the American flag, 
shoot him on the spot. —Gen. John A. Dix. 

There are two things holy, the flag which represents 
military honor and the law which represents the 
national right. — Victor Hugo. 

There is but one other emblem so significant as a flag, 
viz., the cross. —Anon. 

The Stars and Stripes speaks for itself, its mute elo- . 
quence needs no aid to interpret its significance. 
Fidelity to the Union blazes from its stars. Al- 
legiance to the Government beneath which we live 
is wrapped in its folds. — Edward Everett. 

We will have no Government standard but our own 
and will accept no other flag than the glorious Stars 
and Stripes. — Win. McKinley* 

(52) 



The American Flag 53 

It was God Almighty who nailed our flag to the flag 
staff, and I could not have lowered it if I had tried. 

— Major Robert Anderson. 

My only defense is the flag of my country and I place 
myself under its folds. —J. R. Poinsett. 

I want no more honorable winding sheet than the brave 
old flag of the Union. — A. Johnson. 

What the cross is to faith, that the flag is to freedom. 

— Anon. 

"Shoot, if you must, this old gray head, 
But spare your country's flag," she said. 

— Whittier. 

One flag, one land, one heart, one hand : 

One nation evermore! — Oliver W. Holmes. 

The flag is the one focus in which all unite in rever- 
ential devotion. — Major Gen. Arthur MacArthur. 

Our Flag, our Flag, our Country's Flag! 

Should danger e'er assail thee, 
The bugle's call will find us all; 

We'll never, never fail thee ! 

— Col. Henry Dean Atwood. 

The Stars and Stripes, means wherever it goes, the Con- 
stitution of the United States. 

— Henry Cabot Lodge. 

Wherever men behold the American Flag they see the 

symbols of light. 
It is the Banner of Dawn , it means Liberty. 

— Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. 



54 The American Flag 

The flag of the American Union is a visable symbol of 
the ideal aspirations of the American people. 

— Major Gen. Arthur MacArthur. 

The Stars and Stripes is a solemn national symbol. 

— Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. 

The Stars and Stripes waved over our cradles, let us 
ever pray that it may wave over our graves. 

— R. S. Robertson. 

Let us enter the portals of immortality with the con- 
. sciousness that the Starry Flag under which we 
lived and fought was never stained or dishonored 
by our misconduct. — Col. W. A. Prossner. 

w Wherever our flag has gone it has been the herald of a 
better day; it has been the pledge of freedom, jus- 
tice, order, civilization, and of Christianity. — Anon. 

Under the Starry Flag every citizen is a king, and there 
is no avenue to "wealth and fame, position and power, 
that is not open to every child of the Republic. 

— Col. W. A. Prossner. 

The Stars and Stripes commands, not supplicates. 

— Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. 

The Flag deserves the highest honor that devoted hearts 
can pay to it. It is the nation's sacred emblem. 
Long may it wave. — W. R. Maxwell. 

Our Flag represents our dignity and our honor upon 
every sea, and reflects our glory in every sky. Long 
may it float an inspiration to patriotism! — Anon. 



The American Flag 55 

How glorious has been the history of our flag! There 
is not such another banner in all the world that has 
carried such hope, such grandeur of spirit, such soul- 
inspiring truth, as our dear old American Flag! 
Made by liberty, made for liberty, nourished in its 
spirit, and carried in its service. 

— Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, 

Our flag on the land and our flag on the ocean, 
An angel of peace wheresoever it goes : 

Nobly sustained by Columbia's devotion, 
The angel of death it shall be to our foes ! 

— T. B. Read. 

The Stars and Stripes are our states interwoven, 
Having grown thus from weakness to far-spreading 
might. — Anon. 

Let the flag of our country wave from the spire of every 
church in the land, with nothing above it but the 
cross of Christ. — Rev. E. A. Anderson. 

Flag of the brave ! thy folds shall fly, 
The sign of hope and triumph high. 

— F. R. Drake. 

The fairest vision on which these eyes ever looked was 
the flag of my country in a foreign land. 

— G. F. Hoar. 

God grant that the Stars and Stripes shall not perish 
until the sun, moon and stars in Heaven withdraw 
their light. 



Flag Tributes in Prose 



BEAUTIFUL SYMBOLIZATION OF THE FLAG 

There is the National flag. He must be cold, indeed, 
who can look upon its folds rippling in the breeze without 
pride of country. If in a foreign land the flag is companion- 
ship, and country itself, with all its endearments, who, as 
he sees it, can think of a State merely ? Whose eyes, once 
fastened upon its radiant trophies, can fail to recognize 
the image of the whole Nation? It has been called, "a 
floating piece of poetry ;" and yet I know not if it have 
any intrinsic beauty beyond other ensigns. Its highest 
beauty is what it symbolizes. It is because it represents 
all, that all gaze at it with delight and reverence. It is a 
piece of bunting lifted in the air ; but it speaks sublimity, 
and every part has a voice. Its stripes of alternate red 
and white, proclaim the original Union of thirteen States 
to maintain the Declaration of Independence. Its stars of 
white on a field of blue proclaim Union of States consti- 
tuting our National constellation, which receives a new 
star with every new State. The two together signify Union, 
past present. The very colors have a language, officially 
recognized by our fathers. White is for purity; red, for 
valor; blue for justice. And altogether, bunting, stripes, 
stars, and colors, blazing in the sky, make the flag of our 
country, to be cherished by all our hearts, to be upheld by 
all our hands. — Charles Sumner (1873). 

(56) 



The American Flag 57 

DUTY TO OUR FLAG 

When the Standard of the Union is raised and waves 
over my head, the Standard which Washington planted on 
the ramparts of the Constitution, God forbid that I should 
inquire whom the people have commissioned to unfurl it 
and bear it up. I can only ask in what manner, as a 
humble individual, I can best discharge my duties in de- 
fending it. ***** * 

We wish that the last object on the sight of him who 
leaves his native shores, and the first to gladden him who 
revisits it, may be something which should remind him of 
the liberty and the glory of his country. Let the flag rise 
till it meets the sun in his coming; let the earlier light of 
the morning gild it, and the parting day linger to play on 
the summit. — Daniel Webster. 

The following is Mr. Webster's grand apostrophe to 
the flag, which forms the closing sentence of his immortal 
speech in reply to Hayne, United States Senate, January 
26, 1830: 

"Let my last feeble, lingering glance behold the gorgeous 
ensign of the republic, now known and honored throughout 
the earth, its arms and trophies streaming in their original 
lustre; not a stripe erased or polluted, not a single star 
obscured— bearing for its motto no such miserable inter- 
rogatory as, 'What is all this worth ?' nor these other words 
of delusion and folly, ' Liberty first, and Union afterwards ; ' 
but everywhere, spread all over in characters of living light, 
blazing on all its ample folds as they float over the sea and 
over the land, and in every wind under the whole heavens, 
that other sentiment, dear to every true American heart — 
'Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!' " 



; 



58 The American Flag 

A SYMBOL OF IDEAL ASPIRATIONS 

The flag of the American Union is a visible symbol of 
the ideal aspirations of the American people. It is the one 
focus in which all unite in reverential devotion. We differ 
in religion; we differ in politics; we engage in violent dis- 
putes as to the true meaning of the Constitution, and even 
challenge the wisdom of some of its provisions; we inject 
self-interest and cupidity into most of the ordinary trans- 
actions of daily life, but through the sanctifying folds of the 
flag the collective intelligence of the Nation rises superior 
to .the wisdom of any of its parts, and thereby ensures the 
perpetuity of the Republic. — Major-General Arthur Mac- 
Arthur, U. S. A. (1903). 

THE FLAG AND YOUNG MEN 

I want to see the young men of this land taught that 
our banner should be to them like the banner in the sky 
which appeared to Constantine of old, which turned him 
back into the path of duty from which he had strayed. It 
should be taught that it is to be their pillar of cloud by 
day ; their pillar of fire by night ; that it is to wave about 
them in victory, be their rallying point in defeat, and if 
perchance they offer up their lives a sacrifice in its defence, 
its gentle folds will rest upon their bosoms in death. * * * * 

— General Horace Porter (1895). 

THE HALLOWED EMBLEM 

"The flag of a free country does not take care of itself. 
Whether it shall command respect or not is to be deter- 
mined by the quality of the Nation's life. It rests with all 



The American Flag 59 

the people, — it is for us and those who shall come after us, 
to say whether its ancient glory shall play about it still. 
What mighty deeds have responded to its inspirations! 
What noble martyrdoms have been won beneath its folds! 
It is a beautiful and a hallowed emblem, — this starry ensign 
of our nationality. In alien lands, — in distant seas, — the 
heart leaps up to see it float on high. It speaks at once 
of aspirations and of achievement, — it stands at once for 
memory and for hope. It is a pledge, — it is the Solemn 
Covenant of our common liberties. It is a badge of brother- 
hood and of a common destiny. It links together, by an 
indissoluble tie, with the Nation's past and future, the 
whole mighty family of her living sons. It should stand 
for majesty and might. It should stand for purity and 
justice and honor. A little lowering of the patriotic 
standards, — a little blunting of the national conscience, — 
a little falling off in the collective honor of the people, — and 
that generous pride with "which we hail its lustrous folds 
lapses into the blind idolatry of emblem- worship, — a heart- 
less and a hollow sham. Who would look up to it when 
he could no longer say 'See the proud emblem of my 
Country's honor; I know no purer love!' If we -would re- 
spect the majesty of the flag, we must keep it the badge 
of worth as well as the badge of power, that all men, un- 
challenged, shall make haste to pay obeisance to it." 

—Robert S. Rantoul (1900). 

BEAUTY OP OUR FLAG 

"I have seen the glories of art and architecture, and 
of mountain and river ; I have seen the sunset on Jungfrau, 
and the full moon rise over Mont Blanc; but fairest vision 



I 



60 The American Flag 

on which these eyes ever looked was the flag of my country 
in a foreign land. Beautiful as a flower to those who love 
it, terrible as a meteor to those who hate it, it is the 
symbol of the power and the glory, and the honor of fifty 
millions of Americans."— George F. Hoar (1878). 

WHAT OUR FLAG MEANS. 

"It is a symbol to which we pay our devotion. In 
the first place, it is the American flag. Just that and noth- 
ing more. No other adjective is ever prefixed to that word. 
It stands for the history of the United States and for the 
traditions of our people, and no other. It is the flag just 
as much of the man who was naturalized yesterday, as of 
the man whose people have been here many generations. 
It means vast material prosperity. It has gone with us 
on that Western march which has submitted the entire con- 
tinent to the uses of man. Under its shelter the Atlantic 
and Pacific have been joined. It has gone with Peary to 
the North Pole. It is seen in the wilderness of Alaska, and 
in the tropics of the Philippines . 

"It means, wherever it goes, the Constitution of the 
United States. It means freedom of speech and freedom of 
thought. It means men have suffered and died for that 
flag. It means more than safety and shelter for all who 
dwell beneath its folds. Look close upon it and you will 
see a grave procession of men who have given all that life 
holds dearest that that flag might stand. 

"You see there Washington and his Continentals who 
gave us Independence. You see there the many who in the 
war of 1812 gave us our place and our respect among the 



The American Flag 61 



e> 



nations, and you see there in that flag the faces of all 
that great brotherhood who died that the Union and the 
flag might live, and first among them the face of Abraham 
Lincoln. 

" They gave their lives to guard that flag. They sacri- 
ficed everything that no star should be removed or dimin- 
ished, and they handed it to us without a stain. The flag 
may call upon us again for protection, and when it does 
I believe the response will be the same; but bear this in 
mind, that if the citizens protect the flag, the flag must 
protect the citizens. Wherever any American goes legally 
and observing the law, there the flag goes with him, and 
there it must ever go. 

"The flag stands for all that we hold dear— freedom, 
democracy, government of the people, by the people, and 
for the people. These are the great principles for which 
the flag stands, and when that democracy and that freedom 
and that government of the people are in danger, then it 
is our duty to defend the flag which stands for them all, 
and in order to defend the flag and keep it soaring as it 
soars here today, undimmed, unsullied, victorious over the 
years, we must be ready to defend it, and like the men of 
'76 and '61, pledge to it our lives, our fortunes and our 
sacred honor." — Henry Cabot Lodge (1915). 



WHY WE IX)YE OUR FLAG 

"Our Flag! Why do we love it ? Why does the very 
sight of it, the mere mention of the magic name of the 
Star-Spangled Banner thrill us with emotions that no words 
can fully express? It is not alone because of its unrivalled 



62 The American Flag 

beauty, nor for the striking combinations of form and color 
that enable it to be identified at a greater distance than 
any other national flag on earth. It is in truth — let us 
never forget it — because of the liberty and blessings which 
it guarantees to all who seek its shelter; because it offers 
to every class, creed and race a vision of hope, opportunity 
and equality before the law not attainable in any other 
land: because it is the emblem of a Government which se- 
cures a greater measure of happiness and prosperity for the 
individual citizen than any other Government has ever 
offered or given. 

'"And who will say today that our flag has not justi- 
fied the hopes and expectations of the millions who have 
come from every country in the world, leaving for its shelter, 
home, country and the flag of their nativity because they 
believed that our flag, and the free institutions for which 
it stands, would do more for their happiness, advancement 
and well-being than could be hoped for in the home of their 
ancestors or under the flag of any other Government? 
Wherever it has gone in its triumphant march to the Gulf 
and to the Pacific, in Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and the 
far-off Philippines, it has been the herald of a better day. 
More prominently than ever it stands today before the 
nations for individual liberty and equality of opportunity, 
for interstate and international friendliness and justice, for 
civilization and for peace. If there shall ever be, which may 
Almighty God forbid, a dimming of its glory it will be be- 
cause we or our children forget or are unfaithful to its 
teachings, and because we permit greed, oppression or racial 
and religious prejudice to mar its noble record as a refuge 
from oppression and the one unsullied national emblem of 
justice and good will among men. 



The American Flag 63 

"It has been asked why it was necessary to set apart 
a day in honor of the flag of our nation, so near the time- 
honored holiday that commemorates the birthday of the 
nation itself. The answer is not far to seek. Our national 
holiday has naturally become a day of exultant rejoicing, 
given over to sports and outings, with an exuberant over- 
flow of animal spirits which, even when restrained and 
guided in safe and sane directions, as we have tried to guide 
it in recent years, leaves to young and old little time or 
inclination for serious reflection. We need another day in 
which our thoughts, even while we pursue our daily tasks, 
may turn to our beloved ensign as a reminder of the 
glorious principles which it represents, of the blessings 
which it typifies, and of the sacrifices which have secured 
these blessings to us and to our children." 

— Governor David 7. Walsh (1915). 



EVERY DAY FLAG DAY 

"For me, the flag does not express a mere body of 
vague sentiments. It is the embodiment, not of a senti- 
ment, but of a history, and no man can rightly serve under 
that flag who has not caught some of the meaning of that 
history. You do not create the meaning of a national life 
by any literary exposition of it, but by the actual daily 
endeavors of a great people to do the tasks of the day 
and live up to the ideals of honesty and righteousness and 
just conduct. And as we think of these things, our tribute 
is to those men who have created this experience. Of these 
men we feel that they have shown us the way. They have 



64 The American Flag 

not been afraid to go before. They have known that they 
were speaking the thoughts of a great people when they 
led them along the paths of achievement. There was not 
a single swashbuckler among them. They were of sober, 
quiet thought, the more effective because there was no 
bluster in it. They were men who thought along the lines 
of duty, not along the lines of self-aggrandizement. They 
were men, in short, who thought of the people whom they 
served and not of themselves. 

"But while we think of them and do honor to them 
as those who have shown us the way, let us not forget 
that the real experience and life of a nation lies with the 
great multitude of unknown men. They constitute the body 
of the nation. This flag is the essence of their daily en- 
deavors. This flag does not express any more than what 
they are and what they desire to be ; and as I think of the 
life of this great nation it seems to me that we sometimes 
look to the wrong places for its sources. 

"We look to the noisy places, where men are talking 
in the market place ; we look to where men are expressing 
their individual opinions ; we look where partisans are ex- 
pressing passion; instead of trying to attune our ears to 
that voiceless mass of men who merely go about their 
daily tasks, try to be honorable, try to serve the people 
they love, try to live -worthy of the great communities 
to which they belong. These are the breath of the na- 
tion's nostrils ; these are the sinew of its might. There 
are no days of special patriotism. There are no days 
when you should be more patriotic than on other days, 
and I ask you to wear every day in your heart our Flag 
of the Union. 

— President Woodrow Wilson (1915). 



The American Flag 65 

WHAT OUR NATIONAL FLAG REPRESENTS 

4 'As at the early dawn the stars shine forth even while 
it grows light, and then, as the sun advances, that light 
breaks into banks and streaming lines of color, the glow- 
ing red and intense white striving together and ribbing the 
horizon with bars effulgent; so, on the American flag, 
stars and beams of many colored light shine out together. 

"It is the banner of dawn. It means Liberty; and the 
galley slave, the poor oppressed conscript, the down-trod- 
den creature of foreign despotism, sees in the American flag 
that very promise of production of God : ' The people which 
sat in darkness, saw a great light ; and to them which sat 
in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up.* 

"In 1777, within a few days of one year after the 
Declaration of Independence, the congress of the colonies 
in the confederate states assembled and ordained this 
glorious national flag which we now hold and defend, and 
advanced it full high before God and all men as the flag 
of liberty. It was no holiday flag gorgeously emblazoned 
for gayety or vanity. It was a solemn national symbol. 

" Our flag carries American ideas, American history, and 
American feelings. Beginning with the colonies, and coming 
down to our time, in its sacred heraldry, in its glorious 
insigna, it has gathered and stored chiefly this supreme 
idea: DIVINE RIGHT OF LIBERTY IN MEN. Every 
color means liberty; every thread means liberty; every 
form of star and beam or stripe of light means liberty; 
not lawlessness, not license; but organized, institutional 
liberty — liberty through law, and laws for liberty! Accept 
it, then, in all its fullness of meaning. It is not a painted 
rag. It is a whole national history. It is the Constitu- 



66 The American Flag 

tion. It is the Government. It is the free people that 
stand in the Government on the Constitution. Forget not 
what it means ; and for the sake of its ideas, be true to 
your country's flag." 

— Rev. Henry Ward Beecher (1861). 



Flag Tributes in Poetry 



E Pluribus Unum 

By George Washington Cutter. 

Though many and bright are the stars that appear 

In that flag by our country unfurled, 
And the stripes that are swelling in majesty there, 

Like a rainbow adorning the world, 
Their light is unsullied as those in the sky 

By a deed that our fathers have done, 
And they're linked in as true and as holy a tie 

In their motto of "Many in One." 

From the hour when those patriots fearlessly flung 

That banner of starlight abroad, 
Ever true to themselves, to that motto they clung, 

As they clung to the promise of God. 
By the bayonet traced at the midnight of war, 

On the fields where our glory was won, — 
Oh, perish the heart or the hand that would mar 
Our motto of "Many in One." 

'Mid the smoke of the conflict, the cannon's deep roar, 

How oft it has gathered renown! 
While those stars were reflected in rivers of gore, 

Where the cross and the lion went down; 
And though few were their lights in the gloom of that hour, 

Yet the hearts that were striking below 
Had God for their bulwark, and truth for their power, 

And they stopped not to number their foe. 

From where our green mountain-tops blend with the sky, 

And the giant Saint Lawrence is rolled, 

To the waves where the balmy Hesperides lie, 

Like the dream of some prophet of old, 

(67) 



68 The American Flag 

They conquered, and, dying, bequeathed to our care 

Not this boundless dominion alone, 
But that banner whose loveliness hallows the air, 

And their motto of "Many in One." 

We are many in one while glitters a star 

In the blue of the heavens above, 
And tyrants shall quail, 'mid their dungeons afar, 

When they gaze on that motto of love. 
It shall gleam o'er the sea, 'mid the bolts of the storm, 

Over tempest, and battle, and wreck, 
And flame where our guns with their thunder grow warm, 

'Neath the blood of the slippery deck. 

The oppressed of the earth to that standard shall fly 

Wherever its folds shall be spread, 
And the exile shall feel 'tis his own native sky, 

Where its stars shall wave over his head ; 
And those stars shall increase till the fullness of time 

Its millions of cycles have run,— 
Till the world shall have welcomed their mission sublime, 

And the nations of earth shall be one. 

Though the old Alleghany may tower to heaven, 

And the Father of Waters divide, 
The links of our destiny cannot be riven 

While the truth of these words shall abide. 
Oh, then let them glow on each helmet and brand, 

Though our blood like our rivers shall run ; 
Divide as we may in our own native land, 

To the rest of the world we are ONE. 

Then, up with our flag! — let it stream on the air; 

Though our fathers are cold in their graves, 
They had hands that could strike, they had souls that could dare. 

And their sons were not born to be slaves. 
Up, up with that banner! where'er it may call, 

Our millions shall rally around, 
And a nation of freemen that moment shall fall 

When its stars shall be trailed on the ground. 



The American Flag 69 



& 



One Land, One Flag, One Brotherhood 

By Thomas S. Collier. 
Now silent are the forests old, amid whose cool retreats 
Great armies met, and from the shore have passed the hostile fleets. 
We hear no more the trumpet's bray or bugle's stirring call, 
And full of dents, in quiet sheathed, the swords hang on the wall. 

O'er frowning ramparts, where once shone the sentry's gleaming steel, 
In swift and widely circling flight the purple swallows wheel ; 
Beside the Rappahannock's tide the robins wake their song, 
And where the flashing sabres clashed, brown-coated sparrows throng. 

The wealth of beauty that falls out from God's o'erflowing hand 
Clothes with a fragrant garment the fields by death made grand. 
In the deep silence of the earth war's relics slowly rust, 
And tattered flags hang motionless, and dim with peaceful dust. 

The past is past ; the wildflowers bloom where charging squadrons met ; 
And though we keep war's memories green, why not the cause forget, 
And have, while battle-stains fade out 'neath Heaven's pitying tears, 
One Land, One Flag, One Brotherhood, Through All the Coming Years? 



Old Flag 

By Hubbard Parker. 

What shall I say to you, Old Flag? 
You are so grand in every fold, 
So linked with mighty deeds of old, 
So steeped in blood where heroes fell, 
So torn and pierced by shot and shell, 
So calm, so still, so firm, so true, 
My throat swells at the sight of you, 

Old Flag. 

What of the men who lifted you, Old Flag, 

Upon the top of Bunker's Hill, 

Who crushed the Briton's cruel will, 

'Mid shock and roar and crash and scream, 

Who crossed the Delaware's frozen stream, 

Who starved, who fought, who bled, who died, 

That you might float in glorious pride, 

Old Flag? 



70 The American Flag 

Who of the women brave and true, Old Flag, 
Who, while the cannon thundered wild, 
Sent forth a husband, lover, child, 
Who labored in the field by day, 
Who, all the night long, knelt to pray, 
And thought that God great mercy gave, 
If only freely you might wave, 

Old Flag? 

What is your mission now, Old Flag? 

What but to set all people free, 

To rid the world of misery, 

To guard the right, avenge the wrong, 

And gather in one joyful throng 

Beneath your folds in close embrace 

All burdened ones of every race, 

Old Flag. 

Rightly nobly do you lead the way, Old Flag 
Your stars shine out for liberty. 
Your white stripes stand for purity, 
Your crimson claims that courage high 
For Honor's sake to fight and die. 
Lead on against the alien shore! 
We'll follow you e'en to Death's door, 

Old Flag! 

The Flag of Our Union Forever 

By George P. Morris. 
A song for our banner, the watchword recall, 

Which gave the Republic her station, 
"United we stand, divided we fall," 

It made and preserved us a Nation. 

Chorus : 
The union of lakes, the union of lands, 

The union of states none can sever, 
The union of hearts, the union of hands, 

And the flag of our Union forever. 



The American Flag 71 

What God in His infinite wisdom designed, 

And armed with the weapons of thunder, 
Not all the earth's despots or factions combined, 

Have the power to conquer or sunder. — Cho. 

Oh, keep that flag flying ! The pride of the van ! 

To all other nations display it! 
The ladies for union are to a — man! 

And not to the man who'd betray it. — Cho. 



Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean 

By Thomas Reckot. 
Columbia, the gem of the ocean, 

The home of the brave and the free, 
The shrine of each patriot's devotion, 

A world offers homage to thee! 
Thy mandates make heroes assemble, 

When Liberty's form stands in view; 
Thy banners make Tyranny tremble, 

When borne by the red, white, and blue. 
Chorus 
When borne by the red, white, and blue, 
When borne by the red, white, and blue, 
Thy banners make Tyranny tremble, 
When borne by the red, white, and blue. 

When war winged its wide desolation 

And threatened the land to deform, 
The ark then of Freedom's foundation, 

Columbia, rode safe through the storm ; 
With her garlands of vic'try around her, 

When so proudly she bore her brave crew, 
With her flag proudly floating before her, 

The boast of the red, white, and blue. — Cho. 

The wine-cup, the wine-cup bring hither, 

And fill it true to the brim; 
May the wreaths they have won never wither, 

Nor the star of their glory grow dim ! 



72 The American Flag 

May the service united ne'er sever, 
But they to their colors prove true! 

The Army and Navy forever! 
Three cheers for the red, white and blue! — Cho. 



The Flag Goes By 

By Henry Holcomb Bennett. 
Hats off! 

Along the street there comes 
A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums, 
A flash of color beneath the sky: 
Hats off! 
The flag is passing by ! 

Blue and crimson and white it shines, 

Over the steel-tipped, ordered lines. 

Hats off! 

The colors before us fly; 

But more than the flag is passing b} T . 

Sea-fights and land-fights, grim and great, 
Fought to make and to save the State: 
Weary marches and sinking ships; 
Cheers of victory on dying lips ; 

Days of plenty and years of peace ; 
March of a strong land's swift increase; 
Equal justice, right and law, 
Stately honor and reverend awe; 

Sign of a nation, great and strong 
To ward her people from foreign wrong: 
Pride and glory and honor, — all 
Live in the colors to stand or fall. 

Hats off! 

Along the street there comes 

A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums ; 

And loyal hearts are beating high: 

Hats off! 

The flag is passing by! 



The American Flag 73 

Old Flag Forever 

By Frank L. Stanton. 

She's up there, — Old Glory, — where lightnings are sped; 

She dazzles the nations with ripples of red ; 

And she'll wave for us living, or droop o'er us dead, — 

The flag of our country forever ! 

She's up there, — Old Glory,— how bright the stars stream I 

And the stripes like red signals of light are agleam ! 

And we dare for her, living or dream the last dream, 

'Neath the flag of our country forever! 

She's up there,— Old Glory, — no tyrant-dealt scars, 

No blue on her brightness, no stain on her stars ! 

The brave blood of heroes hath crimsoned her bars. 

She's the flag of our country forever ! 



The American Flag 

By Joseph Rodman Drake. 

When Freedom from her mountain height 

Unfurled her standard to the air, 
She tore the azure robe of night, 

And set the stars of glory there. 
She mingled with its gorgeous dyes 
The milky baldric of the skies, 
And striped its pure celestial white 
With streakings of the morning light ; 
Then, from his mansion in the sun, 
She called her eagle bearer down, 
And gave into his mighty hand 
The symbol of her chosen land. 

Majestic monarch of the cloud, 

Who rear'st aloft thy regal form, 
To hear the tempest trumpings loud 
And see the lightning lances driven, 
When strive the warriors of the storm, 



74 The American Flag 

And rolls the thunder-drum of heaven, — 
Child of the sun ! to thee 'tis given 

To guard the banner of the free ; 
To hover in the sulphur smoke, 
To ward away the battle-stroke; 
And bid its blendings shine afar, 
Like rainbows on the clouds of war, 

The harbingers of victory ! 

Flag of the brave ! thy folds shall fly, 
The sign of hope and triumph high, 
When speaks the signal trumpet tone, 
And the long line comes gleaming on. 
Ere yet the life-blood, warm and wet, 
Has dimmed the glistening bayonet, 
Each soldier eye shall brightly turn 
To where the sky-born glories burn, 
And, as his springing steps advance, 
Catch war and vengeance from the glance ; 

And when the cannon-mouthings loud 
Heave in wold wreaths the battle-shroud, 
And gory sabres rise and fall, 
Like shoots of flame on midnight's pall, 
Then shall thy meteor glances glow, 

And cowering foes shall shrink beneath 
Each gallant arm that srikes below 

That lovely messenger of death. 

Flag of the seas ! on ocean wave 
Thy stars shall glitter o'er the brave, 
When death, careering on the gale, 
Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail, 
And frighted waves rush wildly back 
Before the broadside's reeling rack: 
Each dying wanderer of the sea 
Shall look at once to heaven and thee, 
And smile to see thy splendor fly, 
In triumph, o'er his closing eye. 



The American Flag 75 

Flag of the free heart's hope and home! 

By angel hands to valor given, 
Thy stars have lit the welkin dome, 
And all thy hues were born in heaven. 
Forever flat that standard sheet! 

Where breathes the foe but falls before us, 
With Freedom's soil beneath our feet, 

And Freedom's banner streaming o'er us ? 



The Cross and the Flag 

By Cardinal O'Coxnell 

Hail banner of our holy Faith 

Redemption's sacred sign — 
Sweet emblem thou of heavenly hope ; 

And of all help divine. 
We bare our heads in reverence, 

As o'er us is unfurled 
The standard of the Cross of Christ, 

Whose blood redeemed the world. 

Hail banner of our native land, 

Great ensign of the free — 
We love thy glorious stars and stripes, 

Emblem of liberty. 
Lift high the Cross, unfurl the Flag; 

May they forever stand 
United in our hearts and hopes, 

God and our native land. 



Union and Liberty f 

By Oliver Wendell Holmes 
Flag of the heroes who left us their glory, 

Borne through their battle-fields' thunder and name, 
Blazoned in song and illumined in story, 

Wave o'er us all who inherit their fame ! 



* By courtesy of His Eminence, Cardinal O'Connell. 
f By Courtesy of Houghton, Mifflin Co 



76 



The American Flag 

Up with our banner bright, 

Sprinkled with starry light, 
Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore, 

While through the sounding sky, 

Loud rings the Nation's cry, — 
Union and Liberty! One evermore! 

Light of our firmament, guide of our Nation, 
Pride of her children, and honored afar, 

Let the wide beams of thy full constellation 

Scatter each cloud that would darken a star ! 

Up with our banner bright, etc. 



Empire unsceptered! what foe shall assail thee, 

Bearing the standard of Liberty's van ? 
Think not the God of thy fathers shall fail thee, 

Striving with men for the birthright of man ! 

Up with our banner bright, etc. 

Yet if, by madness and treachery blighted, 

Dawns the dark hour when the sword thou must draw, 
Then with arms of thy millions united, 

Smite the bold traitors to Freedom and Law! 

Up with our banner bright, etc. 

Lord of the Universe! Shield us and guide us, 

Trusting thee always through shadow and sun! 

Thou hast united us who shall divide us? 
Keep us, oh keep us the Many in One! 

Up with our banner bright, 

Sprinkled with starry light, 
Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore, 

While through the sounding sky 

Loud rings the Nation's cry, — 
Union and Liberty! One evermore! 



THE REV. S. F. SMITH, D. D. 

Author of "America," was born in Boston on October 
21, 1808, and died in Newton Centre, Massachusetts, 
November 16, 1895. He graduated at Harvard College in 
1829. He was Minister, Editor and Poet, but is best 
known as the author of the hymn "America," which Mr. 
Smith said, "I think, was written in the town of And over, 
Massachusetts, in February, 1832." The inspiration was 
given him one "leisure afternoon " when looking over some 
German music books at the request of his friend Mr. Lowell 
Mason, he fell in with the tune of "God Save the Queen," 
and immediately took up his pen and wrote the poem. It 
was first sung in public July 4, 1832, at a Children's Cele- 
bration in Park Street Church, Boston, Mass. Mr. Smith 
was not aware of the merit of his poem until it became 
famous, when he is said to have expressed much joy at 
having contributed something to the cause of American 
freedom. 



America 

My country, 'tis of Thee, 
Sweet Land of Liberty 

Of thee I sing ; 
Land where my fathers died, 
Land of the pilgrims' pride, 
From every mountain side 

Let Freedom ring. 

(77) 



78 The American Flag 

My native country, thee, 
Land of the noble free, 

Thy name I love; 
I love thy rocks and rills, 
Thy woods and templed hills, 
My heart with rapture thrills 

Like that above. 

Let music swell the breeze, 
And ring from all the trees 

Sweet Freedom's song; 
Let mortal tongues awake; 
Let all that breathe partake; 
Let rocks their silence break, 

The sound prolong. 

Our fathers' God to Thee, 
Author of Liberty, 

To thee we sing, 
Long may our land be bright 
With Freedom's holy light, 
Protect us by thy might 

Great God, our King. 



FRANCIS SCOTT KEY* 

The author of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was born 
at Double Pipe Creek, Maryland, August 9, 1780, and 
died January 11, 1843. 

As a lawyer he was equalled by few and excelled by 
none, but he is known to posterity almost entirely as the 
author of " The Star-Spangled Banner" which was inspired 
while he was a prisoner during the attack on Fort Mc- 
Henry by the British, September, 1814. 

Just previous to the bombardment, Mr. Key visited the 
invading fleet under a flag of truce, in order to intercede 
for the release of Dr. Beans, who had been unjustly im- 
prisoned. 

Mr. Key was courteously received on board the British 
flagship by Vice- Admiral Cochrane but his visit happening 
three days before the intended attack on Baltimore and 
Fort McHenry he and his companion, Col. John S. Skinner, 
agent of the United States for Parole of Prisoners were in- 
formed that although Dr. Beans would be released they 
must all be detained until after a " certain important event." 
Accordingly the three Americans were transferred back to 
the United States cartel ship Minden, at the mouth of the 
Patapsco, where they were guarded by British Marines. 

From there Mr. Key witnessed the "certain important 
event" and composed the outlines of "The Star-Spangled 
Banner," describing in the poem what he actually saw 
and emotionally scribbling the first draft of it on the back 
of a letter. 



* By courtesy of F. S. Key-Smith, Great Grandson of Francis Scott Key, and author 
of "The Life of Key, author of The Star-Spangled Banner; What Else He Was, and Who." 

(79) 



80 The American Flag 

During the contest his sleepless anxiety knew no rest. 
Alternate fear and hope spread alarm in his patriotic breast 
from 6 a. m., September 13, "till the dawn's early light," 
September 14, when he was thrilled with joy to find that 
" our flag was still there." 

Upon his release he proceeded to Baltimore where he 
wrote out the first complete draft of the song. 

4 'The Star-Spangled Banner" was sung for the first 
time in the Union by Ferdinand Durang, a musician, who 
adapted the words to the old tune of" Anacreon in Heaven." 

According to some writers he rendered it mounted on 
an old rush bottom chair in a small tavern next to The 
Holiday Street Theatre where players "most did congre- 
gate," to prepare for the daily military drill in Joy Street, 
every able man being at that time a soldier. 

Mr. Key is buried in Frederick, Maryland. 

The flag of 1795 with fifteen stars and stripes was the 
one immortalized by Mr. Key. 



The Star-Spangled Banner* 

The Greatest Relic of the War of 1812 

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, 

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, 
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight, 

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? 
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, 

Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there. 
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave 

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? 



* There are many versions of the poem. These words were taken from the copy of Francis 
Scott Key-Smith. 



The American Flag 81 

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep, 

Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, 
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, 

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses ? 
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, 

In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream; 
'Tis the star-spangled banner; oh, long may it wave 

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

And where are the foes that so vauntingly swore, 

That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, 
A home and a country should leave us no more ? 

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. 
No refuge could save the hireling and slave 

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave: 
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave 

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 

Oh, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand 

Between their loved homes and the war's desolation, 
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land 

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. 
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, 

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!" 
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave 

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. 



Flag Etiquette 



The War and Navy Departments of the United States 
government require certain observances of the use of the 
flag. Many of the states also have specific laws for the flying 
of flags over school houses and other public buildings. There 
are no official prescribed rules for the flag when used in deco- 
ration. These are based upon the origin of a flag, and other 
facts, together with the customary forms of etiquette. 

Raising and Lowering the Flag 

The flag should not be raised before sunrise and it should 
be lowered at sunset (unless under siege or in a battle). It 
should not be displayed upon stormy days, unless obliga- 
tory (as in the United States Army where the Storm flag, of 
certain dimensions, is used). When the flag is displayed at 
half staff, it is lowered to that position from the top of 
the staff. It is afterwards hoisted to the top before it is 
finally lowered. 

On Memorial Day, May 30, the National flag should 
be displayed at half staff until noon then hoisted to the 
top of the staff where it remains until sunset. At all army 
posts and stations immediately before noon, the band or 
field music plays some appropriate air, and the National 
salute of 21 guns is fired at 12 m., at all posts and sta- 
tions provided with artillery. After this memorial tribute 
and the hoisting of the flag to the peak, the flag is saluted 
by playing one or more appropriate patriotic airs. 

When the flag is formally raised, all present during the 
ceremony should stand at attention, with hand raised to 

(82) 



The American Flag 83 

forehead ready for the salute. The flag should never be 
allowed to touch the ground in the raising and lowering 
of it. 

The Hand Flag Salute 

The correct hand salute to the flag, as required by the 
regulations of the United States Army, is: standing at 
attention, raise the right hand to forehead over the right 
eye, palm downward, fingers extended and close together, 
arm at an angle of 45 degrees. Move hand outward about 
a foot, with a quick motion then drop to the side. 

When the colors are passing on parade, or in review, the 
spectator should, if walking, halt, if sitting, arise, stand at 
attention, and uncover. 

Oral Flag Salute 

For school children in the primary department the fol- 
lowing is recommended: 

"We, give our heads and our hearts to God and our 
country : 
One country, one language, one flag." 

For advanced pupils the National salute: 

"I pledge allegiance to my flag, and to the Republic for 

which it stands; one nation, indivisible, with liberty and 

justice for all." 

When Portrayed 

The flag when portrayed (alone) by any illustrative pro- 
cess, should always have the staff so placed that it is at the 
left of the picture, the fabric floating to the right. 



84 The American Flag 

Used in Unveiling Monuments 
When the flag is used in unveiling a statue or monu- 
ment, it should not be allowed to fall to the ground, but 
should be carried aloft to wave out, forming a distinctive 
feature during the remainder of the ceremony. 

"The Star-Spangled Banner"* 

Whenever "The Star-Spangled Banner" is played all 
persons within hearing should rise and stand, uncovered, 
during its rendition. The same respect should be observed 
toward the National air of any other country, when it is 
played as a compliment to official representatives of such 
country. The playing of " The Star-Spangled Banner" as 
part of a medley is prohibited and it should never be 
played as an exit march. 

On Parade 

When the flag is on parade, it should always be carried 
on the staff to fly above the marching columns. When car- 
ried with any other flag, the Stars and Stripes should be 
at the right. When carried with many it should precede all 
others. 

Used on Bier 

When the flag is placed over a bier or casket, the union 
should be at the head. 

Desecration of the Flag 

No advertisement can be placed upon the flag nor can 
it be used as a trade-mark. It should not be worn as the 
whole or part of a costume, and when worn as a badge it 
should be pinned over the left breast or to the left collar 
lapel. 

* "The Star-Spangled Banner" has never been formally adopted by Congress as our 
National anthem, but by the recognition given to it by the Army and Navy it has 
become so. 



The American Flag 85 

Worn Out Flags 

When a flag is beyond repair, if it has been in service, 
it should be removed from the staff and framed, under 
glass, like a picture. If this is impossible it should be in- 
cinerated, thus placing it beyond all possible desecration. 

Used in Decoration out of Doors 

Every patriotic American citizen should emphatically 
protest against the debasing of our National Emblem when 
used , incorrectly, in decoration. All flags in the United States 
Army are suspended from the staff and in no other way. 
The flag descended directly from the heraldic banners and 
pennons of the knights of feudal times; for this reason it 
should hang, preferably, from the staff; if this is impossi- 
ble there is but one other way to display it: namely, sus- 
pended across a thoroughfare, (commonly termed), as "a 
Banner," where it can not be exposed to self-destruction, 
by striking against a building. When displayed in this way, 
the union should fly to the north, in streets running east and 
west, and to the east, in streets running north and south. 

Used in Decoration in Doors 

The most dignified and impressive way to display the 
flag, when indoors, is several arranged in a " glory," or in 
a cluster, the staffs radiating from a common centre. An- 
other way is with the foot of the staff fastened to the wall, 
the flag hanging directly therefrom, above the heads of the 
assembly. In crossing the flag with any other the Stars and 
Stripes should be at the right. When the flag is hung ver- 
tically, so it can be viewed from one side only, the union 
should be at the right, as one faces it, thus placing the flag 



86 The American Flag 

right side out. When hung vertically, so it can be viewed 
from both sides, the union should be placed at the right, (of 
the building, which is determined by facing in the same 
direction as the building). When the flag is displayed hori- 
zontally, as if on the staff, so it can be viewed from one 
side, only, the union should be placed at the left, as one 
faces it; thus placing the flag right side out; when hung 
horizontally, so it can be viewed from both sides, the 
union should be at the right (of the building). The flag 
should never be placed below a person sitting, it should 
never be struck, and nothing should ever rest upon it, unless 
it is the Bible. The flag should never be draped, or twisted 
into rosettes, thus distorting and changing the shape of our 
sacred banner and using it as a fabric bought by the yard. 
Strips of red, white and blue bunting can be used effectively 
for drapery; when these are hung horizontally, the blue one 
representing the blue field of the flag should be at the top. 

Days when the Flag" should be Flown 

Lincoln's birthday, February 12, (born in 1809). 

Washington's birthday, February 22, (born in 1732). 

Inauguration Day, March 4, when the President of the 
United States is inaugurated, every four years. 

Battle of Lexington, April 19, (1775), when the first bat- 
tle of the American Revolution took place. 

Battle of Manila Bay, May 1, (1898), when Admiral 
Dewey won a victory over the Spanish, in which none of his 
men or ships were lost. 

Mother's Day, second Sunday in May. In honor of the 
American Mother "the fountain head of the State." (A 
Resolution of Congress in 1914). 

Memorial Day, May 30, when ceremonies take place in 



The American Flag 87 

memory of the soldiers and sailors who fell in the Civil 
War, (1861-1865). 

Flag Day, June 14, (1777), the official birthday of the 
Stars and Stripes. 

Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, (1775), which proved 
that inexperienced soldiers could resist regular troops, as 
George Washington expressed it, ''The liberties of the 
country are safe." 

Independence Day, July 4, (1776), when the Declara- 
tion of Independence was adopted, by the Continental 
Congress. 

Labor Day, first Monday in September, when the labor- 
ing class all over the United States parades to uphold 
justice in labor. 

Lake Erie Day, September 10, (1813), when an entire 
British squadron, surrendered to Commodore 0. H. Perry. 

Lake Champlain Day, September 11, (1814), when an 
American fleet gained a great victory, and prevented the 
British from invading New York. 

Columbus Day, October 12, (1492), when the new world 
was discovered. 

Battle of Saratoga, October 17, (1777), when General 
Burgoyne surrendered his entire army of 5000 men to Gen- 
eral Gates, thus the crisis of the American Revolution was 
reached. 

Surrender of Yorktown, October 19, (1781), when Lord 
Cornwallis, and about seven thousand British troops, sur- 
rendered to Washington. This victory decided the result of 
the American Revolution. 



Concerning Flags 



There is a variety of flags, known as standards, en- 
signs, jacks, pennants, boat, guidons, etc. 

The National flag, when used by the Army, is called the 
standard, also the colors. When borne, with a state flag, 
the two are called u a stand of colors." 

The National flag is known in the Navy as an ensign. 

The Union Jack, the distinctive flag of the Navy, is the 
blue canton of the National flag, with the white stars. 
. Boat flags and pennants are used to indicate the rank 
of Army and Navy officers. Pennants are also used, during 
the performance of public functions, as the church pennant, 
the meal pennant, etc. They are of various shapes. Their 
colors and devices denote the class of service and the mili- 
tary or naval division represented. That borne by a man- 
of-war in service is very long, practically a streamer. About 
one-third of its length it has a row of white stars on a blue 
field, the remainder being one red and one white stripe. 

The Church pennant, a blue cross on a white ground, 
is the only flag which may be raised above the Stars and 
Stripes. 

Guidons are used to designate batteries, companies, 
regiments or troops, etc., and are inscribed with numbers 
or letters distinguishing the various bodies. They are usu- 
ally small and may be square, pointed or notched at ends. 

The several branches of military service have distinctive 
colors : Infantry Regiments, blue ; Battalions of Engineers, 
Field Artillery, and Coast Artillery Corps, scarlet; Cavalry, 
two red and white horizontal stripes ; Signal Corps, orange ; 
Field Hospitals and Ambulance Companies, maroon; Hos- 
pital Service, white with red Geneva cross. 

(88) 



The American Flag 89 

The President of the United States has a blue flag with 
a five-pointed white star in each of the four corners. The 
design in the centre is the official coat of arms of the United 
States without the "sky azure charged with the thirteen 
mullets;' ' instead of which, four stars, or mullets, are placed 
directly at the right of the eagle's head, and the other nine, 
in a curved line above the motto, "E Pluribus Unum." 
Added to this, above all are thirteen moons, -which, to- 
gether with the stars are pierced by golden rays. The Sec- 
retary of War has a red flag -with a five-pointed white star 
in each of the four corners and bearing in the centre the 
official coat of arms of the United States ; Assistant Secre- 
tary of War, has a white flag with same design, the stars 
being red. Secretary of the Navy, an anchor and four stars 
in white upon a blue field ; Admirals have blue flags with 
four white stars. A Rear-Admiral's flag may be blue or 
red with two white stars. The red one is flown by juniors, 
when in the presence of seniors, and the blue one by seniors, 
and by all Rear- Admirals, when alone. The grade of Com- 
modore has ceased to exist, as a grade of rank on the active 
list, in the United States Navy. 

The Naval despatch flag has five blue mullets upon a 
white field; Naval convoy flag, pointed, white with red 
border; revenue, sixteen vertical red and white stripes; the 
canton, white with blue eagle and stars; lighthouse flag, 
pointed, white with red border, a lighthouse upon the white 
field ; quarantine flag, yellow ; United States yacht ensign, 
thirteen red and white stripes, with blue canton bearing 
white anchor in circle of white stars. 

A flag displayed Union down is a signal of distress. 

The salute to a national flag is 21 guns. 

It is the custom of foreign ships of war on entering a 



90 The American Flag 

harbor or passing near a fortification to display at the 
main the flag of the country in whose waters they are, and 
to salute it. 

On the completion of the salute to the flag, a salute 
of the same number of guns should be promptly returned 
by the designated saluting station. 

The salute to the flag is the only salute that is returned 
and this is invariably done as soon as possible. The time 
intervening should never exceed twenty-four hours. 

Salutes are not fired between sunset and sunrise and 
not on Sunday unless required by international courtesy. 
As a rule salutes are fired between 8 a. m. and sunset. 
The National flag should always be displayed at the time 
of firing a salute. 

The flag of a military post should not be dipped by 
way of salute or compliment. 



Flag Day Exercises 



Suggested Flag Day Program for High 

1. Singing— America 

2. Declamation — The Stars and Stripes 

3. Recitation— Union and Liberty 

4. Recitation— Old Flag . 

5. Singing — Battle Hymn of the Republic . 

6. Essay — The Evolution of our Flag 

7. Recitation— The Name of Old Glory 

8. Patriotic Quotations 

9. Recitation — Our Flag . . . 

10. Singing — Hymn to the National Flag . 

11. Declamation— Gettysburg Speech . 

12. Recitation— The Blue and the Gray 

13. Salute to the Flag 

14. Singing — The Star-Spangled Banner 



Schools 

Smith 

Sumner 

Holmes 

Parker 

Howe 

Riley 

Sangster 

Preston 

Lincoln 

Fitch 

Key 



Suggested Program for Blementary Schools 

1. Singing— America Smith 

2. Recitation— The Flag Goes By Bennett 

3. Recitation — The American Flag . . . Drake 

(91) 



92 The American Flag 

4. Singing — Columbia the Gem of the Ocean . Reckot 

5. Declamation — The Flag of our Country Winthrop 

6. Essay — The Progress of the American Flag 

7. Singing — The Flower of Liberty . . . Holmes 

8. Recitation— Old Flag Parker 

9. Recitation — Banner of America . . McCarthy 

10. Singing— Song to the Flag .... Tufts 

11. Patriotic Quotations 

12. Singing— There's a Beautiful Flag (Trio and Cho.) 

13. Salute to the Flag 

14. Singing — The Star-Spangled Banner . . Key 



Program for a Complete Celebration 

1. Singing — America Smith 

2. Play " The First Flag " . . Margaret Merrington 

3. Salute to the Flag 

4. Singing — The Star-Spangled Banner . . Key 



" 



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